Paintings

Sunday, April 16, 2017

4/16/17

Where do I begin? I suppose I will begin with the onset of my cold last week. I was worried, knowing that I was due to get on a plane the following week but I thought I had plenty of time and that the cold would be gone by the following Saturday. Yesterday.

Wrong. I began to feel a tiny bit better on Wednesday but on Thursday I felt much worse. Time to see the doctor. I was fearful that I had pneumonia again. Not so. That was the good news. The bad news was that I have a sinus infection for which she put me on antibiotics. And then I asked the question.

Can I fly tomorrow? She looked horrified. Her eyes bulged over the mask. I knew I was in trouble. She said you really, really should not fly. This isn't like a cold where you can take an antihistamine and chew gum while you are on the plane......And after my last ear pain on the plane from flying with a cold, I was really scared of what a sinus infection could do. Plus I don't have a doctor out there yet. I really do need to get one. What if I got much worse after the flight there and need to be seen. All in all it really seemed not worth the risk.

I looked it up online and pretty much all the MD web sites agree. Even the pilot web sites agreed. It seems when pilots have a sinus infection they are grounded. Well. OK then.

My husband kept saying, see how you feel tomorrow, but I already knew I couldn't go to Tucson this time. He was beside himself. We are talking about a lot of money as well for the three tickets to AZ during school vacation week. One of the more expensive times to fly. But it still wasn't worth risking my health for the price of a ticket. We were both very distraught. But I finally convinced him that he should go alone. At first he was pretty adamant about not going alone. Hell, if it were me, I would so go alone. But that is the difference between us. I crave alone time. Maybe it has something to do with being an artist and a mother (it seems we are never alone).

He was up all night long hemming and hawing. Neither one of us got a wink of sleep Friday night. In the end, he went. Alone. And you know what? He is OK. He is happy to be out there. He still doesn't like that he is alone out there but HE IS OUT THERE. Having lunch on the porch. Sitting by the pool. Killing spiders (it is getting hot out there after all).

My husband has all the same stresses that I do plus he works full time. He has had the same job, editing math textbooks for, I think, 35 years now. He really needs to retire. In fact that was our grand plan before our grandson came to live with us. But we are getting closer to the end. Sometimes we lose sight of that. In December Ethan will turn 18. Emancipated. And we will no longer be restricted under a court order. That will be a great thing. Being under a court order is akin to wearing an electronic bracelet. And we were doing a good thing! As my friend says, "No good deed goes unpunished". She isn't kidding.

I am hoping that he will at least retire by the end of the year. Or if I can convince him, sooner. He is always so stressed out I am very worried about him. We have to stay healthy so we can move and enjoy some quality of living in our now cut short retirement.

Anyway, that's it. I am resting. Drinking tea. It is warm today and tomorrow it will be as well. Then of course it is back to the 50's again........

7 comments:

Perhaps because I'm feeling blue myself that I can read between your lines and pick up on that heaviness life sometimes (no...often times!) imposes on us. Then I look at and admire your beautiful art again, and think: "Thank god for the distraction and satisfaction that art provides!" And I rejoice once again in that thought because that is what saves me from falling too deep in the rabbit hole. Here's a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche :"We have art in order not to die of the truth."

Hi Roberta- wow this was something for you. I have had a hard time keeping up with blogs including my own. Sorry you weren't able to go but more important I hope you get well soon- infections are scary. Thinking of you.

O gosh, I hate to hear you are unable to travel. My husband would NOT go alone. He HATES alone. I'm like you, being alone is soothing...as long as it's not long term. I hate the thought of being without him.

My grandson moved out last weekend...not in a friendly kind of way. At 22 he decided we have too many restrictions on what he can do here. They are not unreasonable at all to the civilized world, lol. However, he must stretch his wings and I can tell you how freeing it is for Terry and I to be here just the two of us to worry about...and the dogs. Thankfully, his dog is still here. In reality his Boxer is mine and I would have to fight for him.

Glad you decided to be safe and wise, to take care of yourself. You'll be living in AZ before you know it, it's in the works, it's going to happen. Just stay focused on what each day puts in front of you, that's all you can really do anyway. Your new work is such a joy, I love seeing it. It nearly resembles vintage botanical illustration. Be well, my friend. xx

So did you wake up feeling wonderful? But, it is smarter to safer rather than sorry. Life isn't easy, is it? Sometimes when you try to do good it seems you get the most issues. I do love your flowers though . What a gorgeous piece. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hugs-erika

Artist Statement

For most of my life I have been a painter. I have worked in pen and ink, watercolors, gouache, oils and acrylics. I have always painted the world around me in all its true splendor. For many years I lived in the tropics and painted the lush plant life that surrounded me. When I left the tropics and moved out into the country I painted landscapes of the local farms and my wonderful vegetable garden. Now that I am living part time in the Sonoran desert, I am influenced by the very unique and wonderful looking cactus and flowers I see on my walks.

Thank you for looking at my work and please get in touch if you would like to purchase something.